Andy's Story

Chapter Five - More Questions than Answers

The knocker on the door sounded.

"We are here to see Lady Andrea Winters." One of the gentlemen announced. "Here is my card" he continued, handing it over to Burgess.

"If you wait a moment gentlemen, I'll just see if Lady Andrea is receiving." Burgess replied.

"She will see us." The other gentleman replied arrogantly, as if it were a given fact. He too handed Burgess a card.

Burgess closed the door, leaving them to stand on the stoop. Finding Andrea in the Drawing Room Burgess handed her the calling cards face up on a silver tray and watched as her face paled as she read the names of her callers.

"Please show them in, Burgess." Andrea told him, a little shakily.

They were indeed Military Men.

The sinking feeling Andy had in her heart dropped and became a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nothing good could come of this visit.

What could they possibly want with her?

Burgess opened the door and showed the gentlemen in, both were tall and broad shouldered but that was where the similarities ended. The one standing to the left looked to be the more commanding of the two. Wavy black hair, a square jaw, a nose that was slightly crooked, like he had been in a fight, and hard hazel eyes – there didn't seem to be any soft edges to the man.

His companion on the other hand had softer features, a rounder jaw, a straighter nose and soft amber coloured eyes, topped off with strawberry blonde locks.

Their red jackets, beige unmentionables and shiny black Hessian's completed the look.

Both men bowed to her in a snappy military fashion, the heels of their Hessian's clicking together as they bent forward.

"Ma'am" they said simultaneously.

"Gentlemen," Andy said as she nodded to them. "May I offer you something to drink? Tea?" She asked. "Or something a little stronger perhaps?" She offered upon seeing the expression on the darker man's face.

"No, we are here on official business." He intoned.

"Well, I know I'd like a drink." Andrea replied, she smiled and went to pull the bell.

When Burgess arrived Andy requested the tea trolley to be sent in. Andy knew she could count on Burgess to add a little something for the men – even if they didn't touch it, the thought was there.

When Burgess left, the door closing behind him, Andy turned to her unexpected guests, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Andy glanced again at the calling cards in her hands and chose the higher ranking officers name. "Major Lord Stanhope?" Andrea asked, addressing both men and raising both brows due to the fact that she knew their names, but not who was who.

"Like I said before Ma'am, official business." The dark haired gentleman spoke. "We understand that you were engaged to Captain James Mulberry?"

"Yes," Andrea replied. "But I doubt that I'll be able to help with anything, Sir. It turns out that I barely knew the man!"

"What makes you say that?"

"Major," Andrea began, "I have begun to realize that even though we were engaged for three years, we never really spoke and got to know each other. The man was like a closed book to me, I saw the cover, his outer shell as it were and never really knew what was inside." Andrea shrugged her shoulders and took a seat in one of the more comfortable chairs in the room. "Please be seated." She said as she waved her had in front of her indicating the chairs opposite.